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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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December 22, 2025 |
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WF's Little Duos,
today North Port (Brechin) |
The North Port distillery, in Brechin in the Eastern Highlands, now almost forgotten, was also known as 'Brechin' indeed. This is why it is often referred to in books, guides and magazines as North Port (Brechin). Just a reminder: North Port (Brechin) Distillery was closed in 1983 and demolished in 1994.
Let’s taste these two North Port (Brechin) now, then… |
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(Brechin Memories) |
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North Port 19 yo 1970 ‘Very Rare’ (40%, Sestante, 75cl, +/-1989) 
No mention of Brechin on this label. We’ve already tried this series in the 1974 vintage, while a 1970 by G&M (CC old map label) had been relatively austere and very herbal but rather nice. As for the one currently in our glass, it’s very likely of G&M origin. Colour: gold. Nose: very surprising and rather amusing, with notes of tinned sardines and chalk, then a little preserved lemon and some samphire to start with. After which it really shifts towards fresh concrete and old wood, with touches of passion fruit as well. A very fine nose, quite singular and not particularly affected, so far, by the low ABV. Mouth: the old wood and chalk are back, along with a kind of lemon-scented modelling clay and that faint whiff of damp plaster. It then becomes far more herbal and tauter, akin to a sauvignon blanc from a cold and rainy vintage. At 40%, the texture is fairly light, yet not without a certain charm. Finish: not that short, but even more on wet chalk and old white wine, still from a cold and rainy vintage. Some stock or bouillon in the aftertaste, probably from the OBE. Comments: it’s charming, old-fashioned, even touching, and really very good, though still a little austere and slightly fragile. But we like it.
SGP:351 - 85 points. |
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North Port 42 yo 1981/2024 (50.9%, Gordon & MacPhail, The Recollection Series #3, cask #2072, 132 bottles) 
I find that G&M are managing their old stocks of rarities with great elegance, certainly seeking to showcase them, but doing so in a rather restrained manner. I must say, the last time I checked, there weren’t exactly any collectors clamouring for North Port. Sorry, North Port (Brechin). Right, this may well be the last recent North Port (Brechin) we’ll get to try here on WF… Colour: full gold. Nose: custard and banana, ripe apples, mirabelles, quinces, sponge cake, and perhaps not masses of personality when all is said and done. Still, it’s very pretty, just not especially distinctive. With water: the very ripe apples and farmhouse cider keep things together. Mouth (neat): it’s rather akin to a Speysider in the vein of Miltonduff, Glen Grant or Caperdonich from the same era, with a certain firmness that doesn’t come entirely from the cask, though perhaps without the spikier characteristics that would allow one to identify it straight away (a somewhat superfluous point, I admit). Bruised apples with honey. With water: very pretty, honeyed, marked by yellow fruits, apple, plums, pears… But I still don’t find much in the way of standout features, as they used to say in marketing before The Great Slip Down (the Internet, of course). Finish: medium, on baked apples with honey, plus a little cinnamon. Comments: what to say? First of all, hats off and thank you to G&M, but on the other hand, North Port (Brechin) was never Ardbeg, nor Clynelish, nor Springbank. Well then, our score shall be that of a slightly overenthusiastic archaeologist… To think it’s now a supermarket…
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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